Brandon
by ElegantButler
Summary: After a horrible event nearly destroys him, Bryce builds a new life with a new identity, a new face, a new job, and a new family.
1. the Youngest Teacher at the Academy

BRANDON  
by Elegant Butler

Chapter One: Youngest Teacher at the Academy

It was the mark of a good plastic surgeon that Brandon Williams, nee Bryce Lynch, was not recognized by the staff at the Academy of Computer Sciences when he arrived on Thursday afternoon with his electronic job application and resume imbedded in his personal identity card..

It was Head Sysop Harding who was reviewing the new teacher applicants. Accepting the card, he scanned it with the reader attached to his terminal. After a few minutes he handed back the card.

"Your papers seem to be in order for the most part. However, I did find one discrepancy. It says here that you attended the Academy in the class of 2000. However, I checked my listing and there is no Brandon Williams listed." Harding said, looking Williams over with a stern expression.

"I did not attend under that name," Brandon told him. "However, as I have recently changed identities due to a life-threatening situation, I cannot reveal the name under which I attended. Suffice it to say, I was well-schooled by this academy and feel that I can provide the students with an excellent pod curriculum."

"I see," Harding told him. "So, Mr. Williams, how old are you exactly?"

"Seventeen as of October," Brandon admitted. "My wife turned seventeen in August. She has three children, two boys and a girl. Triplets. They'll be two in a fortnight."

Harding raised an eyebrow and whispered. "Lynch?"

Brandon nodded, inwardly scolding himself for his slip-up. Not very many people said 'fortnight' these days. "But tell no one," he warned. "Zik Zak, for personal reasons, wants me dead. I'd rather not discuss them. It's something I wish to keep in the past."

"What can I say?" Harding said, knowing that no other would fill the role so perfectly. "Welcome aboard. You may start work on this coming Monday."

Brandon and Head Sysop Sidney Harding shook hands.

"I look forward to it," Brandon told his new boss.

"We can give you a list of the students so that you can learn their strengths and weaknesses regarding study habits." Harding offered.

"No, thank you," Brandon replied as he shook his head. "I'd rather learn about them first hand. Parental observations are often flawed by over- or under- criticism."

"How very true," Harding agreed. "I believe you'll find your salary reasonable, and your insurance will cover your immediate family members as well as yourself."

"I hope the triplets will attend here one day," Brandon admitted. "Even if I am just their stepfather, I still think of myself as their only dad. It would make me so proud."

"You've changed," Harding told him.

"Took a journey through Hell to do it," Brandon said, shivering at the terrible memory. He closed his eyes and willed away the painful recollection. When he opened them, he was smiling again. "What's happened has happened. I can't change it. All I can do now is live the life I've been given. And I must admit that, though it's not an easy life, it's one I wouldn't trade for all the world."

"I'm glad you're happy," Harding said, sitting back down. "I'll see you on Monday."

Brandon smiled, turned, and walked out of the room. 


	2. Flowery Roderick & Molly the Gingham Dog

BRANDON  
By Elegant Butler

Chapter Two: Flowery Roderick and Molly the Gingham Dog

Two of the toddlers could be heard in the kitchen through the open window wrestling over a stuffed dog when Brandon stepped onto the deck of the family's houseboat.

The idea of living on a houseboat had been Brandon's idea as well as that of hiring an au pair for the triplets so that Janice could have some help while he was at work. He figured he was pretty safe, but a houseboat would allow quick relocation if necessary.

Through a bit of legal trickery on his part, Brandon had inherited the credits that Bryce had amassed during his time at Network 23. They went into a new account, though most of them had gone to paying for the houseboat, which Brandon had named Sunset Sky after the time of day he'd bought it.

"Do you both really have to play with the same toy at the same time?" he asked them as he walked into the kitchen. He would've scolded the other adults, but Janice was just visible in the children's room off to the side of the small living room with their only daughter, who was in bed with a nasty cold.

"I had it first," Jason pouted.

"But I wan' it more," Lee argued.

"You know what," Brandon said, going over to the toy chest and picking out another stuffed dog, this one made of a blue material with yellow and pink flowers. "I think Molly wants to play with Roderick." As if to confirm this, he made Molly's flowery nose touch the nose of the little yellow and white gingham dog whom the children had christened Roderick.

Lee looked skeptically at his father for a moment, considering if this was true. Finally, he smiled and took Flowery Roderick from Brandon, making its little stuffed paws hug Molly the Gingham Dog.

"Your genius knows no bounds, Mr. Williams," Mrs. Pearce told him.

"I have my limits," Brandon admitted. "I'm an utter disaster in the kitchen. Just ask anyone who's ever tried the last thing I tried to make."

"Shropshire Fidget Catastrophe," Janice said as she returned to the kitchen. "Brandon, if Lily's temperature doesn't go down by tonight, I'm taking her to see a doctor."

"I'll go with you," Brandon told her. "We should have the others looked at also, in case it's contagious."

"That would be a smart idea," Mrs. Pearce agreed. "Why don't you head off now, I imagine you'll be there for at least an hour, so I'll start up supper in a half so you'll have something nice and tasty when you get home."

"Thank you, Mrs. Pearce," Janice told the au pair as she went into the bedroom to fetch her daughter.

"Don't want coat," Lilyanna pouted. "Hot."

"I know you feel hot, Lily," Janice said. "But it's cold outside and we want you to get better. Please? For mommy and daddy?"

Lilyanna looked over at Brandon who was doing his best impersonation of a pleading anime cat.

"Okay," she agreed.

"That's one down," Brandon smiled, trying to get Lee and Jason into their coats.

Janice smiled at her sons, then at her husband. "I'll bet you a bag of crunch fries that Jason will be the first to get his coat on," she said to Brandon.

"No way," Brandon countered, smirking at her. "I know for a fact that Lee is faster."

"I'm faster," Jason said.

"Okay then, let's see who's fastest," Brandon told them. He took the coats and put them in front of his two sons. "When I say, both of you put the coats on. The first one gets to share those crunch fries."

"What does the second one get?" Lee demanded.

"Well, daddy," Janice asked.

"The second one shares a juice pack."

"Okay," Lee decided this was a fair runner-up prize.

"Ready," Brandon said, "set, go!"


End file.
